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Tuesday, December 12, 2017

Italian restaurants are a dime a dozen in Atlanta. Of them, not
many do Italian fine dining well. That’s why I’m so happy that a new eatery – Allora,
located at the Twelve hotel in Atlantic Station – truly gets Italian food and
now ranks among my Italian go-to places.

At Allora, the flavors are authentic and the food isn’t too Americanized.
You won’t find spaghetti and meatballs on the menu, but can instead look
forward to dishes such as caccio e pepe pasta, roasted fish, and fantastic
antipasto choices.

WHY GO: Because
you want to treat yoself, but don’t want to go too crazy.

THE VIBE: Cozy, inviting,
comforting. Dim lighting throughout the restaurant, plenty of intimate booths,
and a bustling bar.

These comfy booths are the main seating areas of Allora

DRINK THIS: During
the colder months, I would recommend the Serendipity cocktail. It tastes just
like apple pie! And while Allora’s cocktail menu changes with the seasons, their
wine selection is consistently impressive, boasting a wonderful selection of
Italian vinos.

The Serendipity cocktail: Apply brandy, apple cider and prosecco

EAT THIS: My
first suggestion is to course your meal – it’s the Italian way of eating!
Courses don’t have to be large or numerous, and the menu is perfectly designed
for a coursed meal.

Allora's dinner menu

Start with the antipasti (anything that comes before the
pasta course, aka appetizers). I loved the whole roasted artichokes with
horseradish aioli, the charred octopus, and the burrata. The latter is served
with spicy salami, pickled beets, smoked pistachios, apple butter and grilled
bread. It was easily my favorite starter! In fact, I’d come back just for the
burrata (and a glass of ripasso) any day!

For your pasta course, you really can’t go wrong with any of
the choices, but I had to try the cacio e pepe. This pasta dish was one of the best
meals I had in Italy, and not many Italian restaurants in Atlanta offer it, so I
had to get my hands on it. The flavor was spot on!

For your main course (secondi), the server recommended the
roasted branzino, saying it was her absolute favorite item on the menu – so much
so, they often run out of it. Topped with broccoli, capers, castelvetrano
olives, lemon and brown butter, I was sold!

Roasted branzino topped with beautiful, tasty greens

The dish certainly lived up to the hype – it was delicious
and just the right amount of food.

LOGISTICS: Allorais located on the lobby level of the Twelve hotel in Atlantic Station (361 17th Street NW, Atlanta, GA). The restaurant has complimentary valet and is open
6:30 am to 11 pm every day (11:30 pm on Friday and Saturdays).

Tuesday, November 7, 2017

Mediterranea boasts a fully gluten-free menu with a variety
of vegetarian and vegan dishes, but you wouldn’t know it by looking at it. What
really stands out about Mediterranea’s menu is its inventive, drool-worthy recipes.

Scallops Provençal, roasted beet risotto, layered eggplant
tart – it all sounds amazing! All you focus on is the creativity and flavor of
each dish, not the fact that it’s also very healthy. And that’s the beauty of
this Grant Park restaurant: You feel like you’re indulging in the most decadent
food, but dining at Mediterranea won’t break your healthy eating habits. In
fact, it may enhance them.

WHY GO: Because gluten-free has never tasted this good!

THE VIBE: Comfortably minimalistic, both inside and out.
Mediterranea has a lovely rooftop patio that’s ideal for fall brunches or after
work drinks.

On Wednesday nights, definitely peruse the wine selection,
seeing as all bottles are half off every hump day.

EAT THIS: Order one of everything, bring a big group, and share!
But seriously, this is a tough one for me… so difficult to pick just one or two
favorites, because everything at Mediterranea is delicious.

The flatbread pizza (nom nom nom)

For lunch, our table shared the flatbread pizza, and then I nommed
on the turkey souvlaki sandwich. The latter is wrapped in what is essentially a
potato crepe, and it is so tasty! As for the flatbread pizza, it is topped with
fresh mozzarella, ricotta and seasonal veggies, and you cannot tell the dough
is gluten-free!

For dinner, you absolutely have to start with the quartet of
spreads. If you’re a carnivore, try one of the seafood dishes as your entrée,
like the pan-roasted scallops or the pan-roasted branzino. And there are lots
of options for the non-meat-eaters, but the involtini looks especially
enticing: Thinly sliced zucchini rolled around pan-fried haloumi cheese, served
on top of a rice blend, pine nuts, yellow pepper coulis and tomato sauce. Yum!

LOGISTICS: Mediterranea is located in Grant Park and is
within walking distance of the zoo. It’s open for lunch and dinner Tuesday
through Saturday, and a brunch menu is available on Saturday and Sunday
mornings.

Friday, November 3, 2017

The perfect fall temperatures are finally here, which
officially calls for craft cocktail sipping on lovely patios. Good thing the
Tavern at Atlas has both the impressive list of cocktails and the ideal patio
for enjoying the flavors of fall.

One cocktail in particular stands out from their new fall menu: The Fireside. Doesn’t it just sound
like the best possible beverage to indulge in this autumn? Created by lead
bartender Carl Gilbert, the Fireside combines apple cider, ginger, caramel and
tequila (stay with me here), and it is best enjoyed next to a picturesque fire.

I, too, was surprised to learn this drink is made with
tequila. I generally think of tequila as more of a spring and summer liquor (hello,
margaritas!), but it complements the rest of the flavors in the Fireside
cocktail very well, and the entire concoction tastes very much like fall
(scroll down for the recipe!).

(c) Mia Yakel

In addition to seasonal cocktails, the Tavern at Atlas has
also recently debuted their new fall food menu, which includes items like citrus-cured kampachi, oysters on the half shell (served with lemon granita), and Yukon
gold potato gnocchi. That last dish is divine! It’s served with shiitake
mushrooms and rabbit sausage, which is all perfectly seasoned with garlic,
herbs, and Parmesan cheese. It is easily my favorite fall menu item!

And if you’re looking for a place to host your holiday dinner,
do consider Atlas’ gorgeous private dining room. Executive Chef Christopher Grossman (who came to Atlas from The French Laundry in Napa Valley, just a
three-Michelin-starred restaurant, #nbd), can fully customize the experience
for your group, whether it’s a family gathering or an outing with colleagues.

The private dining room at Atlas (c) Tomas Espinoza

(c) Tomas Espinoza

(c) Tomas Espinoza

The Fireside cocktail from Atlas:

Ingredients:

1.5 oz Don Julio tequila

.25 oz ginger syrup

.75 oz Mercier apple cider reduction

1.0 oz lemon juice

2 dashes of barrel-aged bitters

​

Directions:

Build all ingredients in a
shaker, add ice, and shake. Double strain and garnish with a red caramel tuile.

Tuesday, October 31, 2017

Muchacho is officially open in Atlanta! The new restaurant took over the former H. Harper Station space on Memorial Drive and
offers breakfast and lunch daily.

I got a chance to grab lunch at Muchacho the other day, and
I loved every bit of my experience! I can’t wait to come back for breakfast,
especially after a morning Beltline stroll. Check out my recommendations for what to
eat and drink at Muchacho below.

WHY GO: Because
you’re up for some tasty eats and drinks in a laid-back environment, especially on a beautiful patio.

The outdoor patio at Muchacho

THE VIBE: Bright,
festive, vibrant. Outside, there are colorful red and white umbrellas, neon tables and chairs, and plenty of sunshine. Inside, the decor is reminiscent of '70s-era Venice Beach, with velvet couches and orange-yellow hues.

Interior at Muchacho (c) Blue Hominy

DRINK THIS: Try
the agua fresca of the day. During the day, it makes for a refreshing beverage.
At night, it makes for a great pre-dinner cocktail when spiked with your choice
of liquor.

EAT THIS: For
breakfast, try one of the toasts. Avocado is always an excellent choice,
but if you’re looking for something different, try the stone fruit and ricotta toast.
Served with honey and fresh jalapenos, it’s the perfect way to
kick off your morning.

The stone fruit and ricotta toast

If you’re at Muchacho later in the day, go for the tacos or
one of the bowls. The tacos are superb – I thoroughly enjoyed the short rib
one. As for the bowls, the poke bowl was my favorite! Not too much rice, plenty
of protein and tasty accoutrements, all mixed together in the most delicious way.

Tacos on tacos on tacos (c) Blue Hominy

The short rib taco

Salmon poke bowl (look at that avocado!)

The savory grain bowl

LOGISTICS: Muchachois located at 904 Memorial Drive, right on the new section of the Beltline and
near Glenwood Park. There’s parking next to the building, but if you live in
the area, I’d highly recommend walking or biking. The restaurant is open 7 am
to 4 pm every day.

Monday, October 23, 2017

Dubbed the “capital of the South,” you would expect Atlanta
to have excellent southern food. And you would be absolutely right. Atlanta’s
selection of southern restaurants is so impressive, in fact, that it was difficult
to pare it down to just the top five. But I tried my best, and my list of
favorites is below.

Keep these options in mind next time you’re craving fried
chicken or need to impress a first-time Atlanta visitor. Restaurants number 2
& 4 on the list will come especially handy if you want to have a themed
dinner before seeing a show – like “The Color Purple” – at the Fox Theatre,
since they’re located the closest to it.

(c) Matthew Murphy

“The Color Purple” tells the story of a young African-American
woman living in the South at the turn of the 20th century. Grab a proper
southern dinner before the show and enjoy the Tony Award-winning musical
October 24-29 at the fabulous Fox Theatre.

(c) Matthew Murphy

And if you’re going to a Sunday afternoon show, be sure to
check out restaurant #3 on the list below for a pre-show brunch option (ticketsare still available).

The original Ford Fry restaurant has the best fried chicken
in Atlanta, at least in my humble opinion. Cooked just right and served with
collard greens and buttermilk biscuits, it would be the perfect start to an
evening of southern food and art.

Located just half a mile from the Fox Theatre, this
restaurant is as authentic as southern food gets in Atlanta. No matter what you
order as your entrée (think classic dishes like chicken and dumplings, roast
pork and rainbow trout), get the mac & cheese as your side. It’s some of
the best in Atlanta.

When you want down ‘n dirty southern breakfast food, you
come to this place and you order the comfy chicken biscuit: A giant plate of
fried chicken, sausage gravy, and an orange slice. There is most definitely a
wait on the weekends, so come early (like, 7 am) if you want to be seated right
away.

This is a classic Atlanta restaurant where you take someone
you want to impress. Chef Zeb Stevenson knows what he’s doing when it comes to
southern food. Everything on the menu is mouthwatering, so don’t feel bad if
you fill up on the starters, like deviled eggs, pimento cheese and heirloom
tomato pie.

If you’re up for some delicious soul food, come to this west
Midtown restaurant. Chef Deborah VanTrece puts her own spin on authentic creole
dishes with creations like chitterling sausage, low country boil loaded baked
potato, and stuffed turkey wings with Cajun cornbread.

The festival will be conveniently located right off the
Beltline and across the street from Ponce City Market, and more than 100
restaurants will feature their signature dishes throughout the weekend.

Taste of Atlanta is a great way to check out some of the
newest Atlanta restaurants, since so many have opened their doors to the public
in the last couple of months. Some of the newer eateries I’m looking forward to
trying are Bulla Gastrobar, CO Restaurant, Muchacho, Poke Burri, Tea House
Formosa, and Todd English Tavern, just to name a few.

(c) Taste of Atlanta

General admission tickets cost $25 in advance, which includes
your entry, an RFID wristband, and 10 taste points that you can redeem for food.
Each food item “costs” between 1-3 taste points, and you can reload your
wristband with additional taste points at designated booths any time throughout
the festival.

The cool thing about the RFID wristband is that it keeps
track of all the restaurants you visit during the festival. So if you love this
one dish but can’t remember where you got it from, no need to worry: You’ll get
a download of all the places you visited and the dishes you consumed in your
inbox the week after the festival. The email will also include incentives to visit
the restaurants in person (aka, $ off your next meal!).

So, get your tickets, peruse the participating restaurants,
gather your friends, and plan to not
drive to Taste of Atlanta. If you’re an in-town resident, you could ride your
bike or walk to the festival this year. And if you have a slightly longer
commute, consider taking Uber, Lyft or MARTA. For the latter, you can get off
at either North Avenue or Inman Park stations and walk to the festival
(an easy 30-minute walk in the beautiful fall weather), or get off at Civic Center station and jump on the free
shuttle directly to the festival.

Thursday, October 5, 2017

So many wonderful things happen in the fall: The new season
ushers in crisp, cool air, and with it, renewed energy, inspiration, and new
menu items at our favorite restaurants.

STKis no exception. Now that fall is officially here, this
Atlanta hotspot is truly embracing the art of happy houring with its 5-6-7
offerings: $5 craft beer, $6 wine, and $7 cocktails every Monday through Friday
from 5-7 p.m.

You can only get this deal at the bar at STK, which is kind
of perfect if you think about it. You can grab a couple of drinks at the bar,
then move on to the main dining room for dinner. And if you’re happy houring at
STK on a Thursday, you could take advantage of the restaurant’s raw bar
offerings in addition to cocktails, including $1.50 oysters, $3 shrimp, $4
ceviche (which is insane), and $4
snow crab claws.

(c) Lauren Klopfenstein

(c) Caitlin Kreidler

(c) Lauren Klopfenstein

But back to the cocktails. STK is sharing the recipe for one of
their signature concoctions (which is available during the fall happy hour) to wet your mouth a little. Check it out below and make sure to stop in to STK
this fall to actually get your hands on one.

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About Me

Anna Lanfreschi is an Atlanta-based writer, producer, and blogger. She is the founder and editor of Belly of the Feast, a food + lifestyle blog.Also:Huge foodie. World
traveler, wanna-be professional photographer, aspiring author. Avid skier and
hiker. Semi-professional shopaholic. Wife, sister. Future parent of a Great
Dane or two.